THE GERMAN MENACE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19373, 23 December 1932, Page 5

THE GERMAN MENACE.

To the jscutor ot " The Timaru Herald ” Sir—Events move apace, more especiallv. I imagine, than our pacifists would prefer. At last. Prance has shown with no uncertain voice that the days of cajoling and weakening her are well-nigh spent. China, too, is beginning to suggest things. And so we see another potent stride towards the fall of the last curtain in the futile play produced by the Amateur League of Nations Company, heralded with great gusto, out palpably foredoomed to utter failure and “blackout.” Who, in 1918. except the true patriots with brains, would have believed possibly the present pitiable spectacle of Great Britain going on her knees to Germany, and promising almost anything (in the way of disarmament) and begging for another meeting in order to talk over further possible concessions? All honour, say I, to plucky little France, who apparently refuses any longer, to be made a catspaw, and is honest enough to face the facts bravely and squarely. What Great . Britain hopes to achieve by her stupid altruistic gesture towards America, it is difficult to fathom, especially when we consider the subtlety of paying in gold. And all this time cannot we very easily visualise Germany chuckling over the entire situation? (How her propaganda succeeds!) She, the one nation that caused the awful war, to be the only one that simply must be considered in every possible way; the only nation that must not pay anything. So sne goes on her way rejoicing and even threatening; and (to quote your own adjective, sir), the “palsied” League of Nations, like Brer Pox and Brer Rabbit combined, lies low and “ain’t saying nuthin’”! Japan, quite naturally, has taken her cue from the League’s impotence, and has done exactly as she wished; China, apparently, is to copy her; so, we may be perlectly certain, will Germany—General von Schleicher’s first public pronouncement is j hardly conciliatory, is it? We shall'most probably, ere long, find the nations deserting the League one by one, and its approaching demise is unlikely to have a single mourner except Germany perhaps. Then, at least, we may expect our pacifist spokesmen to cease prating on behalf of Germany, and the alleged League. For the benefit of your recent correspondent, who romantically asserted that “the Germans have learnt their lesson,” the following additional information may be of value:—ln all the German schools to-day, at every weekend, instruction for pupils over seven years of age is to be closed with a kind of litany. The head teacher or senior pupil intones the clause in the Armistice terms which fastened the warguilt and responsibility on Germany and her allies, to which Germany subscribed. The assembled school children answer In chorus: "The shame of Germany shall burn in our souls until the day of honour and freedom.”—l am, etc., TOUCHSTONE.